Organizational Rankings 06-07

The frontrunner for the first pick in the 07 GMHL draft are the Dallas Stars. The is not entirely bad because Angelo Esposito awaits.
The Stars are extremely young this year. They're so young that when they went on a team bonding trip to Wonderland, 5'9 Darren Haydar got kicked off a roller coaster.
Most rookies would not want to be in this position. But a pair of future stars can't wait. Steve Bernier and Milan Michalek are potential cornerstone players.
"We do everything together said Bernier. We're roommates on the road, we play NHL 07 in our spare time and we pick up girls together" Michalek didn't have any coment just a big grin on his face.
Marcel Goc also can't believe all the ice he'll see this season. "Usually a rookie is brought along slow playing on the third or forth lines. I'm going to be centering the first line and that will help me reach my rookie bonuses faster"
Dallas is very thin on defence. Anton Babchuk and David Hale are the teams brightest young NHLers. Swede, Doug Murray is a brick shit house on the back end. "All i do is hit people says Murray. Stick checks are for girls"
The achilles heal for Dallas is their goaltending. Cast offs Craig Anderson and Michael Leighton were brought in by management to ensure Esposito makes his way to the lone star state.

The Edmonton Oliers picked American Phil Kessel 4th overall in the 06 GMHL draft. However he can't help this most recent Oiler team.
Rookie Marek Svatos has a good shot at the Calder trophy. Forty goals is attainable for the 5'11, 175 pound right winger. "I'm going to be given a big role this season explains the young Svatos. I need to stay injury free and play my game"
Martin Rucinsky knows his days are numbered. "I've talked to the gm a few times and he told me that i might not finish the year here. I'm going to play my butt off for my teammates and hopefully other teams see that and take note. I've already sold my house and am living out of Scott Nichol's garage"
Those two are the only offensive threats the Oilers have. The rest of the forwards are shooting blanks.
Barret Jackman is entering his third GMHL season and likes what he sees. "Management has done a great job of gathering stud prospects. Another losing season won't bother me all that much because i know we're going to climb the latter real soon"
Chris Campoli agrees. "If you guys think Barret hits heard wait til you see this Jack Johnson kid" Campoli is the teams best all around defenseman and will be counted on for big minutes.
Brent Burns is another good young dman but is still a few years away beofre he can crack the top four.
Brent Johnson is the teams starting goaltender. He would make a good backup on most teams. He'll be over worked in Edmonton and is due for thirty loses.
Mikael Tellqvist is Johnson's understudy. Tellqvist will watch Johnson's mistakes and try not to make them when he gets his turn.

This is Sidney Crosby's team from day one and he knows it. "I can't wait for the season to start but ah, this is going to be an exciting year for the fans of Ottawa but ah, i'm going to have Jonas Hoglund as my left winger and i'm going to turn him into a hundred point player but ahhhh" said Crosby.
As good as Crosby is this team will need about five more if they wish to make the playoffs. Rob Niedermayer might be a vet that is looking for a way out. "I don't fit into the teams future. They want to go young and they could get a good piece for me" he says in a hopeful voice"
Wayne Primeau is in the same boat but he doesn't think so. "I'd like to stay here as long as possible. That Crosby kid could be my meal ticket. I want to help him grow as a player" says Primeau. Primeau can't do the things Crosby can do on the ice but he can help him in the weight room.
Aleksey Morozov is the teams first line right wing. "I just love to float. I can't believe i get paid for this" says Morozov.
Brooks Orpik is another player that doesn't like to use his stick. "I heard Doug Murray said stick checks are for women and i couldn't agree more. Sometimes i give the other team the puck just so i can hit them. I get paid by the hit" says Orpik.
There isn't much else to the blueline. Journeyman Alexander Karpovtsev and Dmitry Yushkevich bring some experience. If Staffan Kronwall and Mark Popovic are lucky it will rub off on them.
Marc-Andre Fleury is back for another go around with the team. "I think this team looks better than last years. I'm up for the challenge again" says Fleury. Splitting time with Fleury will be Johan Hedberg. "Marc-Andre is a good kid. He's going to be a superstar goalie one of these days" says Hedberg.
GM Mattson likes his roster. "We're going to own the Northeast Division in a couple of seasons" he says with a chuckle.

There's a new face of the Pittsburgh Penguins this season. It belongs to Nikolai Zherdev. Zherdev will dazzle the home crowd on most nights. This vodka drinking Russian has moves that would make Denis Savard take note. He has a forty goal clause in his contract so look for him to push for that.
His center Brett Mclean has decent passing skills. Forty goals for Zherdev should be a lock if Mclean can keep up. Doing the dirty work on that line will be Scott Hartnell. Hartnell who is rumored to be on the block is a good power forward with a scoring touch. That is when he's not in the penalty box.
There is very little offence after that. Poor Alexei Ponikarovsky has no one to play with on the second line. He might feel like his rushes are one on twos for eighty six games.
If the fans aren't showing up to see Zherdev score goals their only other reason to show up is to watch Brian McGrattan fight. Circle the first time Pittsburgh and Boston play each other this season. It will be McGrattan/Brashear round one.
Pittsburgh's defence is weaker than a Glass Joe uppercut. Danny Markov is the only reliable player of the bunch. Wade Belak is McGrattan's sparring partner in practice cause he's sure no defenseman in the games. Ossi Vaananen still has a way to go and Deron Quint should be on an ECHL team but he's married to one of the execs daughters so they gave him a spot duty.
All the pucks Pascal Leclaire sees this season will be good for him. He's a young goalie with a bright future. Mentoring Leclaire is the ultra intense Chris Mason. "Mason promised to show me a few things this year if i promised to help him with his chin strap" Leclaire said with a laugh.
Despite what the rumors say the team is going to stay in Pittsburgh and not move to Owen Sound.

The Pacific Division will have a new champion this season because Los Angeles is in rebuild mode. Management decided it was time to look towards the future.
Jaromir Jagr was traded to Florida in the off season. With Jagr out Martin Havlat takes over as the teams brightest offensive star. Havlat is a player that doesn't need any help to put up points. If he can avoid suspensions for kicking people he could produce an eighty point season.
Todd Marchant is the teams number one center. Havlat doesn't mind though. "Todd can just hang back and play D. That allows me to take more chances on offence" says Havlat. Marchant agrees. "I haven't made it this far by scoring goals. I love to shut other forwards down, i've been doing it for 10 plus years" explains Marchant.
Rookie Bobby Ryan is new to this team. "I just don't want to embarrass myself out there" the 19 year old rookie says.
Adam Foote is back but he doesn't know for how long? "I want to finish my career as a King. I love it here. The beaches are great in the summer. I met my 4th wife there" says Foote. Foote is still a menace on defence. "The older he gets the harder he hits" says often injured forward Valeri Bure.
Greg deVries is also back with the team. "I also met Foote's 4th wife at the beach once. :Foote is heard laughting in the background and comes over to high five DeVries: Despite his off ice activities DeVries can still produce on the ice. "I still play my steady game. I love the pk and i'll play some spot duty on the pp as well" DeVries says.
The defence is very thin after those two. Rookie Matthew Carle has a bright future but shouldn't see a lot of ice time this year.
The play of Olaf Kolzig and Dan Cloutier won't be enough to get this team in the playoffs. Both are reliable goaltenders but the team in front of them will make too many mistakes for them to handle.

After a great playoff run in 05-06 the New York Islanders felt the time was right to start over. The team now belongs to the smooth Patrice Bergeron. He's looking to become a point a game player in only his third GMHL season. Bergeron loves the sound of that. "I'm in my last year of my rookie deal. I need to have a huge season if i want my big pay day. I've got my Ferrari picked out and everything" says Bergeron.
Bergeron doesn't need much help out there and that's a good thing because he doesn't have it. He will be playing with Oleg Kvasha and Michel Ouellet. Two players better suited for the lower lines, they will be asked to play almost twenty minutes a night.
Kyle "the wizard" Wellwood lines up as the number two center. "The coaches told me i needed to get tougher this off season. So i hired Jean Claude Van Damn to kick the snot out of me six times a week. He needed the work and i needed to be able to take a punch" Wellwood says with 3 teeth missing.
Dwayne Roloson is back as the number one goalie. Rolie the Goalie just ordered a new set of pads and hopes he here for the long haul. "I can't see myself playing anywhere else. I love it here and i love Charles Wang. He almost gave me a fifteen year deal until he found out i was thirty six"
Brian Leetch is the elder statesman on the back end. "I love to go end to end" Leetch blurts out. "I always go to my back hand and the defence still falls for it. It's been paying the bills since ninteen eighty five" says Leetch.
Leetch is joined by the speedy Marc-Andre Bergeron. "Brian is teaching me his back hand move in practise. He says when i master it he gets 10% of my next contract" Bergeron explains. Andrew Alberts is a lanky dman with a bit of a mean streak. "I know what i have to do to play in this league. I need to smear forwards across the boards, it's that simple" says the towering Alberts.

The lone Hurricanes strength is in net. David Aebischer is a good starting goaltender in this league. He comes to play every night even though there is no threat from Corey Schwab to take his job.
Aebischer's job will be a little easier because of the defence in front of him. Michal Rozsival is a very good defensive defenseman. He does his job well and with no complaints. Dmitri Kalinin wants to take his game to the next level. "I want to play in all situations. I want short handed time and time on the power play. I'm ready to earn it" Kalinin says. Kalinin is a fine skater and the teams best dman.
Richard Jackman is the teams quaterback with the man advantage. "I keep my point shots low and hard. I don't aim to score i aim for rebounds" Jackman explains. Jeff Halpern likes Jackman's game. "It's so easy to get assists with him. He shoots so hard and it's always on net" says Halpern. Halpern leads the forwards onto the ice every night. He will be the teams leader on offence.
Supporting him is Richard Zednik, Radek Bonk and Petr Nedved. The trio are decent second line players but nothing spectacular.
One problem the team has is Theo Fleury. He comes to the games hungover about 20 times a year. "I play my best after i've had a few the night before" grogggles Fleury. "Some of my best games came after i drank a two-four and got no sleep. I feel like i'm in the zone then" he mumbles.
Fleury has been a distraction to the team for a couple years now. It might be best if he decided to become a pro drinker year round instead of just the off season.

The Bruins have a very average team. Something the fans aren't happy with because it's pretty much the same team from last season. A team that missed the playoffs.
If this team is to have any hope the few quality forwards that are here need to step up. Namely Nik Antropov, Andrew Brunette and Petr Sykora. The three will make the Bruins first line. All three think they can get the job done. "I like our line a lot. We should be able to do some really good things this year" says Andrew Brunette as he works out on the bike. "I think our best years are in front of us" Antropov says as he changes the music station. Sykora being the shy one of the bunch just nods his head and agrees.
Wes Walz is back and ready to lead the penalty kill into action. "That's all i've even done is kill penalties. There no better feeling than scoring a short handed goal" says Walz. Mike Grier and Steve Begin will also spend their fair share on the penalty kill. "Sometimes i wish our guys could go to the box more often so i can catch the other team off guard and score a shortie" Begin says in excitement.
Everyone on the team knows who is in charge of the defence. Brendan Witt is a stay at home type with a passion for laying out other players. "One time i got a little crazy in practise and laid out two of our coaches in one shot. We all had a good laugh when they brought me some ritalin the next day" says Witt with a smile.
The defence is thin after Witt with only Brad Lukowich being able to be counted on for decent minutes.
After an off season trade with Tampa, Nikolai Khabibulin finds himself in a Bruins jersey. "I'm used to winning a lot cause that's all we did in Tampa. I don't expect it to be any different here. I'm going to be better here than i was in Tampa" Khabibulin says with confidence. He's goin to have to be if the Bruins are to grab that eight spot in the East.

Everyone in San Jose is waiting for the arrival of Evgeni Malkin. Unfortunately that is going to have to wait one more season. His countryman Evgeni Nabokov doesn't care if Malkin is with the team or isn't. "We get paid to play with who is here right here and right now. We'll deal with Malkin when he gets here but for right now it's about these twenty three guys in the locker room and our goal the playoffs" say Nabokov.
Nabokov will be backed up by Mike Dunham. A former starter Dunham agrees with Nabokov. "We can't worry about who is here and who isn't. I know one thing is for sure, Me and Nabokov are going to give the team a chance to win every night. I've been in GMHL long enough to know that if you don't they will find someone who will" says Dunham.
A pair of ressurected forwards will score most of the points for the Sharks. Martin Straka and Ray Whitney are at the top of their games after a couple disappointing seasons. "Just because we signed big deals this summer doesn't mean we can mail it in" says an angry Whitney. Straka agrees with his pivot "I'm gearing up for a hundred point season" he says.
Support players such as Bryan Smolinski, Pierre Turgeon and Derek Armstrong give San Jose more options in the other teams end. "It's good to have depth at forward, it makes us harder to match up against" Smolinski says as he watches tape of a rivals game.
Bryan Berard and Sheldon Souray form the teams first pair on defence and the powerplay. Souray says the plan is simple on the powerplay. "Bryan feathers the passes and i crank them in the net" Berard says his job is easy. "With bionic arm over there all i have to do is make sure my pass is on the tape and i'll get an assist"
Rostislav Klesla has upped his game to another level but knows he still has a long ways to go. "I've turned the corner from a sixth dman to a forth. Now i need to go from a forth to a second. My goal is to be there in three seasons" says Klesla.
San Jose has a well balanced team but might be a forward and a defenseman away from a playoff spot.

The Canucks have improved a little since the end of last season. Joffrey Lupul, Radim Vrbata, Antoine Vermette and Daniel Sedin all took the next step. Offence won't be as much of a problem as it was last year with these young players raising their games.
And there's of course Ryan Smyth. His jersey continues to sell at a high speed in Vancouver. He trained very hard this summer and hopes that this year will be his best yet. "I put on a few pounds of muscle these past few months. I want to get fifty goals this year. That's my personal goal" explains Smyth.
Mike Ribeiro is also back. He will center Smyth on the top line. "Smitty and me have always had good chemistry. It wouldn't suprise me if he hit sixty" says Ribeiro.
Jose Theodore is back between the pipes. Management is a little worried cause he came to camp a touch out of shape. "With these good looks i had to juggle eight girlfriends and two wives. I trained as much as i could but i had a pretty hectic schedule" Theodore says as he gasps for air.
The mobile Paul Martin returns too. He's taken a leap forward and has earned more minutes. He's going to be asked to play on the top pair though. That might be asking a little much but don't tell him that. "I look forward to quaterbacking the powerplay this year. That's a big responsibility and i think i'm ready for it"
Willie Mitchell has really helped Bryan Allen since he made the team. "Willie has showed me how to hit someone and knock their helmet off at the same time" explains Allen. "We've got a little bet going, who ever can knock the most helmets off that game the loser has to buy diner" a competitive Mitchell tells.
The fans were a little upset that management didn't make any trades to improve things. "We tried to go a few different routes but the sellers we're asking for the moon. We didn't want to trade Sedin for a two-three year superstar and have him retire on us" GM Christopher Kirby said.

This years edition on the Leafs is very solid. New faces include Andrej Meszaros and Sergei Samsonov. Robert Lang remains the teams top center. He'll have a new line mate this year in Jamie Langenbrunner. Langenbrunner earned the promotion with a great training camp. Slick Pavol Demitra rounds out the line. If he can stay healthy he could be a ninty point player.
The second line starts with the defensive aware Jan Hrdina at center. His wingers this year will be newcomer Sergei Samsonov and the veteran Bill Guerin. People in the media have said Guerin has lost a step to his game. But he's out to prove everyone wrong. "All that talk of me taking a step back is going to fade away when i hit thirty five this year" says Guerin.
Marc Denis has returned for another year. "I can't wait for the year to get started. I trained my butt of after our final game to get ready for this season. I really like our team, we've got a bit of everything" says Denis. Backing Denis up is rookie Michael Garnett. Garnett should only be counted on to play when Denis needs a rest or against weaker teams.
Roman Hamrlik is once again the teams number one dman. He's happy to see that Andrej Meszaros made the team after only one camp. "He moves the puck well for a twenty year old. He's very strong in his own end too. I think he's a darkhorse for the Calder" Hamrlik says with confidence in his words.
Frantisek Kaberle will be Hamrlik's partner on the top pair while Craig Rivet will line up opposite Meszaros. Rivet knows his role with the club. "I've got to be strong in my own end first and foremost. My points will come from my first pass out of the zone" Rivet says.
Coach Sean Connery expects to win with this squad. "It's like when i teamed up with Nick Cage in The Rock. We formed a team and took out the terrorists. Cage had to stab himself in the heart with an eight inch needle but sacrifices had to me made. I'm not going tell our guys to stab themselves in the heart to get the job done but i expect them to work as a team like we did and we'll have success" a giddy Connery says.

There are two reasons why the Caps are nineteenth this year but we'll get to that later. They aren't rated here because of Joe Sakic and Brendan Shanahan though. Along with Todd Bertuzzi they form one of the most potent lines in the GMHL. Sakic wants to challenge for the Art Ross. "I've been here for a few years now and i've never had that pinnacle season. I feel fine and my body is in great shape. With Bert and Shanny on my wings i want to reach one hundred points. I want to tear this league apart" Sakic says with determination.
Russian David Vyborny will skate on the second line. He has good speed, a decent shot and play making skills. Jozef Stumpel lines up behind Sakic. Although soft Stumpel more than makes for his passive play with his defensive smarts and hockey sence.
Michael Peca knows he won't get a lot of scoring chances this year but he doesn't care. "Just as long as i'm responsible defensively. That's my first priority" Peca says as he tapes his stick.
The defence is solid from top to bottom. Mattias Ohlund leads the squad once again. The big Swede doesn't do anything fancy on the ice, he just gets the job done. Mattias Norstrom brings a little bit of experience to the back end. "I guess you could say i've been around. I know the ins and outs on the ice pretty well" explains Norstrom.
Denis Gauthier has been told that he doesn't have to be Paul Coffey out there, just do one simple thing. Hit. "Coach told me to rock people. I'll keep my spot in the lineup aslong as i bring people to their knees. I want them to fear crossing our blueline" says Gauthier as he punches the heavy bag.
That might need to happen because the two weaks spots are in goal. Patrick Lalime spent too much time on the beach this year and got over suntanned. "It wasn't my fault. There's nothing in my contract that says in can't be a beachbum for two months out of the year" a toasted Lalime says. Unfortunately for Caps fans he might have a permanent suntan on the back of his neck from the goal light in 06-07.
Ilya Bryzgalov will be forced to play more than he can handle because of Lalime's irresponsibility. "I'll stop puck with my head if i have to" Bryzgalov says.

The Blue Jackets traded away some of their higher priced talent for young players who will produce in the future. The Jackets did however secure one of the brightest young goal scorers in GMHL. Rick Nash was traded from Buffalo to Columbus in a deal that saw Marek Zidlicky head the other way.
Nash is a player management can build around and it seems that the Jackets are doind just that. Joining the forty goal scorer is Michael Cammalleri, Ryan Kesler, Petr Prucha, Zbynek Michalek and Alex Auld. All are solid building blocks and will give the team a lot of success in the future. "I can't wait to see what this team can do in a couple of years. It's like a brotherhood here. We know we're going to be here for a long time and that breads confidence. Cammalleri says.
"I know i have a lot of things to work on but i'm willing to put in the time and effort. I want to get this team to contender status in two years. Kesler said. The Jackets didn't ship out all their big guns. One remains. Marc Savard is a potential one hundred point player this year. He's the teams first line center and leader on offence. The young forwards can learn a lot from Savard and that's probably why GM Elco kept him around.
Elco also addressed his future between the pipes acquiring Alex Auld from Dallas. Auld is a solid young goalie and many have pegged him as the next Sean Burke. Jason "Cash" Bacashihua is also new to the team. He might be a few years away but he also has a chance to be a solid starter.
Norris canidate Bryan McCabe returns to the blue line. He pumped up in the off season causing rivals to question if he took illegal drugs. "I've never taken a drug in my life. I took six urine tests already and all were negative. A person can put on twenty five pounds in two months if he hits the gym hard and that's what i did" McCabe says unconvincingly.
It's pretty much a new defence that McCabe has to work with Jim Vandermeer and Zbynek Michalek have the highest upside of the new faces. Both look forward to growing with the forwards and taking the next step in a couple of years.

The twin towers are back in Phoenix once again. Dany Heatley and Jarome Iginla are the best one-two punch on right wing in the league. This year they'll have a full season to anchor their respective lines. It could be the first time a team has had two fifty goal scorers if they get the breaks.
Hitting fifty won't be so hard because passing wizards Saku Koivu and Yanic Perreault line up on the first and second line. "Coach has told us to pass it to the right. That's pretty much the game plan this season. To the right, always to the right" Koivu says like a zombie.
The two top left wingers don't mind so much. "We're grinding type of forwards. We go to the net hard and score most of our goals off rebounds. We'll never be mistaken for Gretzky out there" Tomas Holmstrom says with a smile. Holmstrom and Peter Schaefer are perfect fits for the skilled players. "I had it lined up like this since day one. Goal scoring right wing, passing center and grinding winger. You don't think this happened by luck do you?" GM Paul Prose says.
Rick DiPietro improved his play some last year and is now a star goaltender. "I could play all eighty-six games if they need me to. I want to be this years horse. I have many awards set in my sights for the future" a cocky DiPietro blurts out without being asked a question. Backing him up is Ty Conklin. DiPietro might have to play eighty games because Conklin came to camp in a shakiy mental state. His pet Emu died in a cock fight after the monkey grabbed a brick and clubbed him over the head. Hence the giant Emu on Conklin's mask this season as tribute.
Joni Pitkanen has earned his minutes and should average twenty-five in 06-07. "I've worked very hard to get my game to where it is now. It's hard to believe i'm only twent-three. I've learned so much since coming to Phoenix"
Patrice Brisebois will continue to teach Pitkanen what he knows. "I can only teach so much. I'm running out of things to say. He's so advanced for his age"
Shut down dman Mike Rathje is in his contract year so he's hoping to have a big season. "This is make or break for me. I need to help this team make the playoffs. It also wouldn't help if i led the league in plus/minus this year" he says hopingly.

Lubomir Visnovsky will finally live up to his potential this season. He stayed in Detroit over the summer to work out with the teams personal trainer. The hard work has paid off big time as Lubo finds himself a Norris candidate.
Brent Sopel brings some speed to the defence. He won't be as offensive in past years but he should be a bit better in his own end. Hal Gill is back for another tour of duty with the Wings. Hal Gill is well Hal Gill. A big dman who punishes forwards with his abnormal size. On the downside he's very slow and doesn't add much offence.
Steve Eminger hopes to one day be like Visnovsky. "He's so creative on offence. He knows what to do all the time when he gets the puck back there. It's on his stick then it's in the net" says Eminger.
Detroit's first line of Olli Jokinen, Cory Stillman and Dainius Zubrus is as good as anyone's. Mike York will center the second and his wingers will be Jochen Hecht on his left side and Mark Parrish on his right. The three will hold their own and help take some heat off the first line.
It gets a little thin after that and that's where Detroit might run into some problems. Raffi Torres is the only proven scoring forward that plays on the lower lines.
Jean-Sebastien Giguere is a very thick goalie who takes up most of the net. He's very hard to beat down low and high because of his broad shoulders. Most goals he let's in have eyes or come off a rebound. Giguere won't be over worked because the Wings have a solid back up in Peter Budaj. Budaj trains in martial arts and has been seen sparring with Hal Gill in practise.

After failing to make the playoffs last season the Atlanta Thrashers have reloaded and are ready for a major playoff push in 06-07. Pulling off a blockbuster deal that brought in star forward Steve Sullivan and backup goalie Ray Emery showed the fans that this team is committed to winning. "We're going to make the playoffs this season. We even have our sights set on the Southeast crown" says GM Smith.
The team has several quality rookies on the roster. The pick of the litter is Colby Armstrong. "It looks like i'll be on the second line this year" says Armstrong. It might be in the cards for an all rookie second line. Armstrong on the right with center Derek Roy and left winger Jussi Jokinen. Team leader Vincent Lecavalier vows for better results. "We haven't been getting the job done the past couple of seasons. The team traded away a pretty good pick to bring make sure we made the playoffs this season. We better post the correct results or some of us could be playing elsewhere next seaosn" says Lecavalier.
Ales Hemsky spent the off season in the Philippine Mountains learning the art of the pass. "I've got my technique down pretty well. Master Yoshida says i better hit seventy assists or i have to go back next year" Hemsky says with a lump in his throat.
Scott Niedermayer is ready for an all star year on defence. "I've improved my skating a little since last season. You can never have enough skating. I want to skate like Forrest Gump can run" Niedermayer says with a laugh. New edition Keith Ballard enters the top six. He's a decent passer with a bad temper and lots to learn. "I've got some great teachers here with Niedermayer and Rafalski. I will pick things up quickly" says Ballard.
Brian Rafalski is looking forward to the races he has with Niedermayer in practise. "We go once around the rink after every practise. So far he's got an eighty five to sixty two lead on me. But that's not going to last very long" Rafalski boasts.
Sean Burke is the Thrashers number one this year. Although old Burke should be able to win more than half his starts. "I've got a few more stops in this old body yet" says Burke. Ray Emery will push Burke for playing time. "I know my time isn't now but when i get in there i'm going to show the team what i'm made of. Besides with the playoff bonus i should be able to buy another chrome forty five" says Emery.

The Predators sport their best team in four years. The only think they lack is a real checking forward but they've got pretty much everything else. The team is loaded with great young forwards. Alexander Steen, Mike Richards and Thomas Vanek have all graduated to the NHL. We shouldn't expect huge numbers from them just yet but we won't have to wait long.
Jason Spezza raised his game to that of a first line center. "I'm going to own the Central this year :giggle: No one is going to stand in my way this year :giggle: I just wish Souray was in the central so i could make him look stupid again" :giggle: says Spezza with an obese grin on his face. Ales Kotalik can't wait to share the ice with Spezza. "He sets up my one timer better than anyone i've ever played with"
There won't be any lack of scoring behind Spezza with Scott Gomez there. "With so many players keying on Spez my job should be pretty easy. I'll get the rest of the other teams players and i'll be able to light it up" says Gomez. J.P. Dumont expects big things from this group. "We have a very solid team on paper. I hear this is the best team they've ever iced and i'm pumped" says Dumont.
Rookie Henrik Lundqvist enters his first of many as the teams number one goaltender. "I'm not going to be beat very often this year. I didn't come all the way over from Sweden to have my ass handed to me that's for sure" Lundqvist says as my does up his pads.
Tomas Kaberle and Andrei Markov will help Lundqvist with his goal. The puck won't be in the Preds zone much with these two on the ice. Kaberle is also the teams powerplay quaterback. "I'm entering my prime and ready for my best season yet" says Kaberle.
Mike Van Ryn and Martin Skoula round out the top four. Skoula knows his job is to not mess up. Van Ryn is more of a defensive dman with a touch of offence to his game. When we asked Garnet Exelby what he thought of the team he just had five words to say. "Stick checks are for wimps"

Season tickets in Anaheim sold out in 3 days. His jersey sold out just a week after being on sale. Teenage girls scrambled to find his address and there were rumors that one girl paid one thousand dollars for his phone number.
Alex Ovechkin is ready to make his GMHL debute in 06-07. The way he plays he could be a finalist for the Hart, Calder, Selke, Norris and Jack Adams trophies. "The coach tells me to score goal. I recieve pass, take a bite of chocolate and head to the net. I perfer to shot glove side but one time i blew it through goalie chest to score. After pre season game Andy Mac told me to score with ten girls so i did. We flew to Houston. We saw Yao Ming shooting hoop. They told me to score on him so i did. My teammate signed me up for a war in Iraq. General said plant this bomb thirteen miles west in heart of bad guy territory and you'll score. I shoot gun and threw some tennis balls that blew up but i scored that too" Ovechkin says with a puzzled look on his face.
AO won't have to carry the offence by himself even though he can. Andy McDonald and Brian Gionta came out of no where in camp and impressed the coaches. "We're both in our contract years so we need to come up big" says Mcdonald. :Gionta just smiled and nodded: The Ducks are very solid at center with Daniel Briere and Henrik Sedin. Briere gets the chance to play with Ovechkin and knows that he just has to pass it to the left. "I could close my eyes and throw it over there and he'd pick it up and score" says Briere. Brad Boyes lines up on the third line but he doesn't mind. "The teams strength is at center this year. I'm just happy to be part of a team this good. They could have stuck me in the fighters role and i'd be ok with it" says Boyes.
Leading the way on defence is Alexander Ovechkin. "I play defence too after forward shift. "I get to hit more on defence so i look forward to play it" Ovechkin says. Behind Ovechkin is Chris Phillips and Joe Corvo. Corvo has good size for a dman at 6'1 205 pounds. He moves the puck well and is solid in his own end. Phillips is more of a defensive dman. He keeps it simple and craves his plus/minus. Rounding out the top four is Alexander Ovechkin. "I play defence twice" say Ovechkin.
Starting in net is Ryan Miller. Miller and Martin Biron will split this season. "We love to push eachother. We play our best when we know the other wants to steal the spotlight" says Miller. Biron expects to play a lot this year. "When i get my turn i'm not letting go" say Biron. Both will need to be sharp because the Ducks have a bright young goalie prospect in Alexander Ovechkin. "Coach says stop puck then lead rush up ice to score so i do that too" Ovechkin says as he puts on his goalie mask.

Like last year the lightning are an older team again. They've added a bit of youth but the majority are thirty two and up. Keith Tkachuk is one of the older players and he's been through the wars before. He was heart broken when the team was eliminated in the first round last year and made a promise to his teammates to not let that happen again. "I swore off all junkfood in the off season. I cut off Mcdonalds, Burger King, KFC, Taco Bell and Wendy's. I just went cold turkey. I came into camp slim and trim and ready to lead this team deep into the playoffs" a confident Tkachuk said.
The coaches have told Brian Rolston that he's the number one center this year. They feel that Sergei Fedorov will be better suited for the second line. Rolston is happy where he is. "I've worked extremely hard to get where i am. Coach said this is what's best for the team, he's in charge and we do what he says" says Rolston. Fedorov doesn't mind. "I've played on the first line for all of my career. Moving to the second is no big deal" says Fedorov.
Jere Lehtinen plans to return to his Selke form of years past. He's going to play with Tkachuk and Rolston and knows they will have chemistry come game time. "We pull moves on the goalies in practise all the time. I have high hopes for our line this season" says Lehtinen. Lost in the shuffle is Doug Weight. He might find himself on the third line all season. But if someone isn't producing he's sure to get the call up to a scoring line. Nils Ekman is a jack of all trades forward. Besides taking his regular shift on five on five he'll also kill penalties and play with the man advantage.
The number one pair on defence is the same from last year. Not many forwards will beat Rob Blake one on one. Even less will beat Derian Hatcher. Tom Poti was given the green light to go end to end by the coaching staff early on. But if he gambles too much the harness might come out. Kenny Jonsson is still a solid defenseman but he's lost a step. His minutes will be cut from last year but he's still good for sixteen to seventeen quality minutes a game.
The Bolts have a new starting goalie this year. Khabibulin is gone and has been replaced by Martin Gerber. Gerber is a legit number one who can only get better. "I want to win forty games this year. We have a very strong team and i'm up for the challenge" say Gerber. Gerber has a decent backup in Brian Boucher. But Boucher won't push Gerber for playing time so he can concentrate more on the puck and less on who wants to steal his job.

The New York Rangers were tired of being the leagues doormat. Every Ranger fan knew the season was over before it started for three straight years. So they treated the fans to more than a dozen trades this off season. They went out and upgraded almost every position. Ed Belfour is the teams new starting goaltender. The experienced one likes what he sees from his team. "When i heard that i was traded to the Rangers i was like why would you do this to me? Then when i got here and saw all the great players i realized that he did me a favour" says Belfour. Belfour will have to stay sharp because Mathieu Garon will be nipping at his heels.
The Rangers have a genuine star forward for the first time in their history in Mike Modano. Modano thought he was doomed just like Belfour did. "I'm a fine player but i know i can't do it alone. I thought i was going to have to until the first day of camp and saw how much help was in store for me" says Modano. Modano's right winger is Russian Alexei Kovalev. Kovalev has a goal scorers touch and the pair will excite Ranger fans all season long.
Glen Murray is a new arrival too. He's the teams most talented goal scorer so a lot is expected from him. "Count me in for forty this year" says Murray. Other new faces include the speedy Tony Amonte. He's more of a defensive forward these days but still has the skill to score his fair share of goals. Anson Carter is new to the team too. He was brought in for some secondary scoring behind Kovalev and Murray. Owen Nolan and Eric Lindros are both looking for bounce back seasons. Both are gritty physical forwards with something to prove.
The Rangers also brought in some agitators. Arron Asham and Matthew Barnaby can get under the other teams skin. They'll also protect the teams new star players.
The big impact on defence will come from Sergei Gonchar. He not very pretty in his own end but he can man the point on the powerplay with the best of them. The team was smart though because they knew Gonchar isn't all that great in the defensive zone. So they traded for Marek Malik. Malik is one of the best defensive defenseman in GMHL so they won't have to worry about Gonchar's mishaps as much.
Jiri Slegr doesn't do a heck of a lot out there but he's not asked to. He plays his best when know one knows he even played the game. Jamie Heward and Bryan Muir are a decent third pair. They won't be asked to do much. Just keep the puck out of their own net and the coaches will be pleased.

The Florida Panthers are the second team to make a big push during the trading season. Gone are most of the teams top prospects. In are stars at every position. The brighest star is right winger Jaromir Jagr. Jagr will wear number sixty nine this year because rookie dman Milan Jurcina didn't want to give up number sixty eight. Managment is still trying to find a solution to Jagr's problem. The rumor was that Jurcina wanted one night with Jagr's girlfriend in exchange for the number. That was just a rumor so know one knows if Jurcina is really a freak or he just wants money.
Jagr is one of two forwards that is the elite of the elite this year. No one will be able to stop him. They will have to limit the damage he'll do to them. Especially with second year superstar Eric Staal as his center. Staal is best known for picking corners and his great skating. It's hard to imagine that he'll be turning twenty two later this month. He plays like he's thirty two.
Ladislav Nagy is not used to being the third wheel on a line. But he is when he plays with Jagr and Staal. It doesn't bother him too much because he knows he's going to get his chances. "How could you not love to play with these two? This should be the easiest season of my career. I just have to score on open nets for eighty six games" says Nagy.
The second line is full of new faces. Brendan Morrison, Jason Blake and Shawn Horcoff could be a teams first line. Not on this team. They ride shotgun. They know they need to produce even when the first line does. "It looks like this will be a real offensive league this year. It's important that we put up points every game if we want to win" says Horcoff.
Chris Osgood found a new home this season. He's happy to be the teams starter. "I think this team has a real shot to win the title. They didn't rebuild long and that suits me just fine" says Osgood. Andrew Raycroft figures to get in twenty five games this year. But knows it's only a matter of time before he's a number one again.
The one thing the Panthers lack is a true puck moving defenseman. But that doesn't mean their defence is weak. Adrian Aucoin and Kyle McLaren are reliable players. They won't put up a ton of points though. But the team has the forwards to do that. Rookie Francois Beauchemin has worked himself into the top four. He'll be paired with Fin Toni Lydman. Beauchemin is a little more talented passer and will make most of the breakout passes to the attacking forwards entering the offensive zone.

The Sabres did the unthinkable this offseason. They traded superstar Rick Nash. It was a move out of necessity because management felt they needed a number one defenseman instead of another goal scoring forward. The return was power play specialist Marek Zidlicky. Zidlicky is a twenty five minute a night player with a nose for scoring goals. He skates like the wind and passes like Adam Oates. He's the leader of the defence and will be counted on to do everything.
Jordan Leopold, Ruslan Salei and Sean Hill will battle to line up with Zidlicky. The two that don't make it will turn into the teams second pair. All three bring different things to the team. Things that every team needs to be a winner. Hill and Salei are bruisers that bring leadership to the youngsters Christian Ehrhoff and Fedor Tyutin. Leopold is more of a skater with a lot of endurance. The decision will be made in camp.
Pavel Datsyuk took a big step last year. He's ready to take another this year. "I'm aiming for one hundred points" says Datsyuk. That's a very real possibility because Datsyuk will be setting up scoring sensation Jonathan Cheechoo. Cheechoo can and will score from anywhere. The puck isn't on his stick for more than a split second then it's usually in the net.
Martin St. Louis could play with a number of centers. Jason Allison, Jarret Stoll and Daymond Langkow would all love to line up with St. Louis. The smart money is on Jason Allison because he's the strongest of the three and the best passer. Chad Kilger is a fan favourite that plays on the lower lines. They love his hustle and he even chips in the odd goal.
Curtis Joseph and Dominik Hasek will battle to stop the pucks. The Sabres have the option of going with either veteran goalie. That will be a huge plus when the playoffs role around and experience is needed more than anything else. "I'm going to start when we get to the playoffs" Joseph demands.

The Canadiens were only one win away from the GMHL title last season. That's a series that the players want to forget. It's always in the back of their minds and they're using it as motivation. Mats Sundin is one of the best scoring centers in GMHL. His weapon of choice is his slapshot. If he gets open near the slot, seconds later the goalie is fishing the puck out of his net.
His Swedish pal Daniel Alfredsson puts up his points in a different way. Alfredsson is a bit better skater and drives the net more often. He burns defenseman with his quick first step and his overpowering wrister finds the top corner with ease. "I go high glove or high blocker. It just depends what my dog tells me to do that game" Alfredsson says jokingly.
Joe Nieuwendyk has been around the block a few times. There are no signs of age with him. He's still an offensive threat even at the age of forty. "I play better than i look" Nieuwendyk says with a smile on his face. Maxim Afinogenov doesn't care if he plays with Sundin or Nieuwendyk. He just wants to help the team win. "They're both great passers. They know i hit the zone with speed and i look for the pass on my stick. Nine times out of ten it's there" says Afinogenov.
Philippe Boucher enters his first season as a Norris contender. He wants to hit twenty goals and have a plus/minus of plus forty five. Those are his personal goals. If he does that he thinks he could get nominated. His partner Kimmo Timonen is also an elite defender. He can skate almost as good as anyone and has the passing skills to put up points on the power play.
Over the offseason Alexei Zhitnik aquired a mean streak. No one knows where he got it from. Some think it's because he didn't get his shipments of vodka from Russia after the season ended. No one can pin point the answer but he's morphed into a stay a home bone crusher. Jaroslav Modry doesn't seem to mind. "That's less bodies for me to hit. He can have them all if he wants. He can crunch people and i'll take the puck and put it on Sundin's stick" says Modry.
Robert Esche returns as Montreal's first string. The Canadiens will get numerous solid starts from him. Roman Cechmanek is still hanging around. This figures to be his last year in the GMHL and he wants to make the most of it. "My goal is to go out with some good numbers" says Cechmanek.

Everyone in the GMHL knew that Dion Phaneuf would play for the Devils one day. The question was when and how would he do. Well those questions have been answered. Phaneuf is entering his first year and he'll play on the top pair. He's the best rookie defenseman this season and he has an outside shot at the Calder trophy. Phaneuf has a lethal one timer from the point but that isn't his biggest weapon. His biggest weapon is his shoulder. He knocked Rostislav Olesz stupid a couple years ago in a junior game. Now he looks to plaster NHLers against the boards. His partner in his rookie year will be twenty six year old Brad Stuart. Stuart is a good option on the powerplay and skates well for his size.
Teppo Numminen is looking for a renaissance year. He could man the point with Stuart on the pp. Eric Brewer's development has stalled a bit the past couple of seasons. He will still play second pair minutes but a bit more was expected after some strong years early on.
Martin Brodeur is back between the pipes with the only organization he's ever known. He's the teams all time leader in wins, shutouts, games played, stops and playoff victories. He's looking for his second straight Vezina trophy and he's one of the odds on favourite for it again. He will be able to rest more this season because the Devils have developed their goalie of the future. Cam Ward will replace Brodeur is a few years but for now he'll sit on the bench and take notes from one of the all time greats.
Paul Kariya can flat out fly. He can get off his slapshot at top speed and zing it off the post for a goal. "I didn't come into camp in the best of shape last season. I more than made up for it this year" says Kariya. Markus Naslund has been bumped down to line two. He'll be one of the best seconds line left wingers in the Eastern Conference. Naslund could lead the team in goals because he'll see weaker defenders.
New Jersey is very strong at center. They have three players who will battle for ice time on the first line. Craig Conroy, Chris Drury and Mike Sillinger give the coaches confidence down the middle. Conroy might have the inside edge at the first line because he's the most responsible defensibly and has the most creativity with the puck.
Fredrik Modin always takes a little time to get his shot off. But goalies know when he does because they either get hit by it or the goal light gets turned on. Like last year he's in a support scoring role. Dallas Drake is back with the team. He will put up a few more points than last year and continue to check the opponents forwards into the ice.

The defending GMHL Cup champs return with an even better squad this year. What won them the Championship just got stronger. Miikka Kiprusoff is the best goaltender in the Western Conference this year. He might pass forty wins and head for forty five. He has Finnish superstar written all over him and he loves it. "I just go out there and stop the puck. "My style isn't pretty, i'm very bouncy out there. But if i stop the puck i don't care what i look like" says Kiprusoff. Cristobal Huet pairs with Kiprusoff. Huet is a starting goalie himself. He earned the backup job in camp after beating out Tim Thomas. Huet might not play all that often but he will post solid numbers when he gets the chance.
Nicklas Lidstrom is a monster on defence and has the inside track for the Norris trophy. If it was possible for any player to play all sixty minutes he would be the one. He could average a point a game this year. Ed Jovanovski joins Lidstrom. Jovanovski is known for his hard hits and his harder shot. The 6'2, 210 pounder won't do the things that Lidstrom can but he could still make the all star team.
Andy Sutton is the teams most feared physical presence on defence. It's a very real possibility that he racks up three hundred penalty minutes this year. Chris Chelios is back for what might be his final year but you never know. The forty four year old will hardly enter the offensive zone. Now a days he just plays solid defence and let's the other players take care of the offence. "I think my seasons of seventy points are over with don't you?" laughs Chelios.
Henrik Zetterberg appears to be the Avs first line left winger. He's not the fastest skater out there but he's smart. He can pick corners like a marksman and he's no slouch when he sets things up. He will have the green light to go because his center Michal Handzus would rather play defence than score. Expect some solid numbers from Handzus. Around sixty points would be a good year for him. But he doesn't concern himself with points he thrives on not getting scored on.
Milan Hejduk won't score like he did in the past but he's still a solid threat when he has the space. Patrik Elias returns for his second season with the team. "It looks like i'm going to line up on the second line this season. I'm probably going to play with Matt Cullen. He's a great player and we've found some chemistry early on in the preseason" says Elias. Their linemate will be the aggressive Darcy Tucker. Tucker is a rugged forward with a scoring touch. He's one of the better power forwards in the Northwest. Rookie Ryan Getzlaf made the team as the third line center. He's going to be eased into the offence and might see some spot duty on the powerplay.

When you think GMHL Flyers you think Patrick Marleau. He doesn't misfire when he has the puck near the net. He's virtually a lock to net forty goals this year. He can also dish passes to his winger Shane Doan like little in the league can. Doan is always a good option for Marleau cause he hustles to the net well and puts pucks on net. Doan is a power forward and when he has the puck he will make a B-line for the net. "I just burry my head and go. If i knock the goalie over i knock the goalie over. Whatever it takes to score" says Doan.
Vaclav Prospal is another star forward that the Flyers have in their arsenal. Prospal is most known for his skating, passing and stick handling skills. Nathan Horton has elevated game to the second line. He's developing his scoring touch and hopes to net twenty five this year. Horton is a big part of the teams future but now is not his time. Marco Sturm is one of the more underrated forwards around the league. He does a bit of everything and is a fantastic skater. Kris Draper hasn't changed the way he's played the game since his rookie year. He takes care of his own end first and if everything is clear he jumps into the rush.
Peter Bondra and Trent Hunter are the two top right wingers. They're solid players but an upgrade might be needed. It might not be if Bondra finds the right chemistry with Marleau.
The defence will be by committee for Philadelphia. They have a perfect mix of tough defenders and skill puck movers. The top four dman are John-Michael Liles, Bret Hedican, Robyn Regehr and Jason Smith. The first two are the powerplay point man and the last two will play while a man down. The coaching staff will decide the matchups at even strength but you can bet they'll mix them up to complement eachother.
Like the first two pairs the third will be no different. Mike Commodore is the physical one while Sandis Ozolinsh is the better skater and will lead the rush. That is if he's not in AA.
Tomas Vokoun is one of the best goalies in the Eastern Conference. He's setting the bar high this year and wants to get forty wins. "I'll play all eighty six games if i have to, to get forty W's this year. I hope to reach that in seventy games though so i'll be rested for the playoffs" says Vokoun. Vokoun's backup can do the job so he won't be overworked. John Grahame knows his days as a starter are probably over but he just wants to play and help a team win. "I really like the group of guys we have here. We have a great mix of everything and some great star players. I think we have a chance to go deep into the playoffs" says a positive Grahame.

Entering the offseason the Calgary Flames were just pretenders. A couple weeks in management had a plan to rev things up and grow the group into contenders. They mortgaged some of their furute for the win now approach.
Teemu Selanne was one of the hired guns. Selanne has had knee problems in the past that's hampered his last couple seasons. So this year he took care of the problem. "I stopped racing my cars in my spare time. Doctor said my knees were shot because of all the time i spent in my funny cars. I'll resume my race career after my hockey career is over. Right now i need to help this team win" says Selanne. Selanne will have no problems scoring goals with Brad Richards as his centerman. Richards is known throughout GMHL for his play making and rocket of a one timer from the point. He's just entering his prime now and has many great seasons a head of him.
Troubled star Alexei Yashin needs to produce this season or he could find himself on the block. Some games he looks like a ninty point player and others he looks like an AHLer. He needs to find the consistency that made him a franchise player earlier in his career. Playing with Yashin will be another Russian, Alexander Frolov. Frolov needs a little work on his skating but has all the tools to become a big time scorer in the league. Only a few years into his career and he's already established himself as a second liner on a deep Flames team.
Kyle Calder brings a boat load of hustle up front. His nickname is greasy because he's so slippery in the corners. He scores most of his goals off of rebounds and other hard working plays. Not to be left out is Brenden Morrow. Morrow is a fire hydrant on skates. He broke an opponents rib last year and all he did was skate into him. "That wasn't my fault. He had his head down. I didn't throw a check but i didn't let up. He skated right into me and was out for three weeks" explains Morrow.
The team was shopping for a number one defenseman after trading for Selanne. They found a partner with Chicago and landed Sergei Zubov. Zubov has a lot of experience because he's played a lot of playoff hockey. He knows when to pinch and when not to. He's a threat to jump into the rush and make it an odd man attack. Don't be suprised if Zubov collects seventy five points this year and is a finalist for the Norris.
Scott Hannan is a good stay at home blueliner. Zubov can join the play because he knows Hannan will be there to back him up. Janne Niinimaa is one of those players that in transition. He's going from an offensive player to more of a defensive minded defenseman. "I've scored my fair share of points in my career. Now it's time to help out the goalies more. Besides defence wins championships" says Niinimaa.
That championship is the only thing that matters to starter Roberto Luongo. Luongo knows the team will make the playoffs if they work hard enough and once they're in anything can happen. "Hopefully we will get hot right when playoff time roles around. I'm ready for a big season but i want to have an even bigger playoff" says Luongo. Luongo will be fresh for the playoff push because Vesa Toskala is so reliable. Toskala could start on a number of teams but would rather enjoy some success than get shelled on one of the lower rated teams.

The Wild have a great one, two punch at center with Jason Arnott and Michael Nylander. Arnott will skate on the first line after making the jump from the second in 05-06. Blessed with a big frame and soft hands Arnott is among the best centers in the Northwest Division. He'll be given big minutes so expect a top notch season from him. Nylanders is a shifty player who thinks pass first and shoot third. He's one of the more softer players on the team but is no push over. He's just a free skater that always has his eyes on his wingers sticks.
Alex Tanguay is new to the team and likes what he sees. "There's a lot of offence up front. I've played with great players for my whole GMHL career and that gets to continue here in Minnesota. I think i can net forty goals playing with Arnott" says Tanguay. Another strong winger is Erik Cole. Cole has a nose for net. His trademark is driving in from the wing and cutting in front of the net to makes things happens. "I've been doing that move since pee wee. There's nothing fancy to it. Just protect the puck and get a shot off. I score ten goals a year with that move" says Cole.
Slovakian forward Miroslav Satan should lead the team in goals this year. It helps that he's going to play with Nylander. Some people around the league think Satan got his game from the devil. Some think that Miro is the devil. "I've heard that a thousand times in my career. If i were the devil i would make myself better than Gretzky. I don't think the devil would be satisfied with only being a first liner" a bitter Satan explains.
This edition of of the Wilds defence doesn't have any holes. Derek Morris is the best skater of the bunch and will be paired with Jaroslav Spacek on the powerplay. Spacek skates well too and has a booming shot which Morris will set up.
Kim Johnsson is another smooth skater with an accurate shot. He's not all that physical and depends on his positioning to steal the puck from other players. Pavel Kubina has a little physical edge to his game. He's known for his size. He stands at 6"4, 245 pounds. He's great in front of the net always making sure his goalie can see incoming pucks.
The Wild have a new starting goalie this season. It shouldn't take Manny Fernandez long to get to know his new defence. Fernandez will play the majority of the games with backup Kevin Weekes performing when call upon. The two are one of the better goaltending pairs in the West. The goals against will be kept low with the Fernandez/Weekes combo and the defence in front of them.

When you think St. Louis Blues you think Peter Forsberg. Forsberg has been dynamite since he was traded from Columbus a few years ago. He's done everything asked of him including help win the GMHL Cup. Most of Forsberg's passes will be recieved by Marian Hossa. Hossa is a short handed assassin. Then coach puts him on the penalty kill not because he's a great penalty killer but because he has that sixth sence of when to lug it up ice for a scoring chance. Hossa is the teams best goal scorer and it's a foregone conclusion that he scores fifty.
Mike Fisher ups the intensity and will center the second line. Fisher's trademark is his great defensive play. This year he gets the chance to show more. "They traded away Brendan Morrison because they felt comfortable with me on the second line. I'm still going to play great D but now i'll have to produce more points. I'm going to aim for a plus thirty and thirty goals as well" says Fisher. Justin Williams and Mike Knuble round out an excellent defenseive second line for the Blues. Don't confuse defensive with not being able to score. Knuble and Williams are both good goal scorers. That line could score ninty goals between them.
Number six is back to patrol the blueline. Wade Redden is expecting an even better season this year. He's going to average thirty minutes a game. With the stats he's going to put up he will be one of the top five defenseman in the league. Playing with Mathieu Schneider doesn't hurt either. Schneider is fully capable of mirroring Redden's season. He might actually score more goals.
Nick Boynton is the most rambunctous of the top four. He's going to tattoo anyone who crosses the St. Louis blueline. He's not going to do much in terms of offence but he doesn't care. "Who cares about offence? I'd rather send someone to the bench thinking it was a mistake crossing that blueline than put up fifty points" says Boynton. Paul Mara will make up for Boynton's points. Mara is a very fast skater for a defenseman his size. He reads the play well while on the powerplay and has the hockey sence to know where the puck has to be to score a goal. Rookie Ryan Whitney will be brought along slowly on the third pair. He won't be given much responsibility because he's twenty three and has a lot to learn. But he's a big part of the teams future and the coaches feel he's ready for the NHL.
Marty Turco doesn't have anything left to prove in the regular season. He's been there and done that. He wants another GMHL Cup. "It's too bad it takes eighty six warm ups games before the real season begins. I'm going to pace myself this year and be at my elite level when game one of the Western Conference quarter finals start. Antero Niittymaki can be counted on for solid starts when Turco wants the night off. He has a bright future as a GMHL goaltender but needs to learn the ins and outs before he's ready to start.

Joe Thornton begins his forth season as the Blackhawks top center and the odds on favourtie to win the Art Ross. His passing skills are god like. They're so good he can even make plays blindfolded. "I put on a blindfold for practise a couple practises ago. Me and Gabber came down on a two on nothing and i put the puck right on his stick for a goal" joked Thornton. Ilya Kovalchuk has had his playoff disappointments in the past but has made sure this season will be different. "I don't care if i score zero goals in the regular season. Once the playoffs roll around i'm going to lead them in goal scoring and win the Conn Smythe" says Kovalchuk.
Goal scoring will be the last of the Hawks worries this year. The ultra fast Marian Gaborik will be taking passes from Thornton. Gaborik is the best skater in the league and combined with his goal scoring instincts make for the closest thing to Pavel Bure around. Simon Gagne is a dream come true for center Rod Brind'Amour. Brind'Amour a Selke canidate can set up Gagne from the high slot and be back just in case something goes wrong. Gagne doesn't think anything will go wrong. "What can go wrong? He knows where i like to be to score goals. He always puts the puck there and i either score or Recchi jams it home on the rebound" says Gagne. Mark Recchi was brought back for his experience. "I may be an old man but i still know where to be on the ice" says Recchi.
Russian Vyacheslav Kozlov will play with two Canadians on the third line. Kozlov along with Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Gary Roberts bring a little bit of everything to the line. Bouchard is the playmaker. Roberts is the grinder and Kozlov is the all around offensive talent.
If teams want to head for the Chicago net they'll have to climb over Mount Slovakia. Zdeno Chara has been the premier defensive defenseman in the GMHL and that continues this year. He's the most physical player the league has even seen. "I eat forwards for diner. There's two things i'll never do. Fit into a Ferrari and stick check someone" says Chara. Chris Pronger will be paired with Chara again this year. Coach Axl Rose loves the tandem. "Let's put it this way. It didn't take as long to write November Rair as it did to figure out that these two play well together" says Rose. Pronger should be good for fifty plus points and a strong plus/minus.
Jay Bouwmeester has vaulted himself into the teams number three dman spot. "I'll play a lot more on the powerplay this season. I'm going to be a twenty minute a night player and i look forward to what comes with that" says Bouwmeester. The fine skating Dan Boyle is Jbo's better half. Boyle will see time on the second power play and penalty kill units. Rookie Brent Seabrook and third year player Dan Hamhuis round out the top six. Both have just been asked to play solid defence and the offence will come.
Ed Belfour is gone and Manny Legace is in. Legace is a great starting goalie who knows he's replacing a legend in Chicago. "Belfour was great here for three years. He won the team a Cup in the leagues first season. I'll never replace what he did but i can win a Cup of my own" says Legace. Hannu Toivonen is about a year away from challenging Legace for the starting spot. He'll get in the games he can and hopes to play well enough to be counted on.